Chapter 19.

                                    

                                          

Ariella
                          
I watched as Dante walked back to the beach house. I was speechless as he left me alone in the cold water.
                          
His excuse was that he had a meeting. He wasn't lying, but in his eyes I saw the real reason.
                          
Lust coated his hazel glare as it flushed his entire face.
                          
It intimidated me because I felt it, too.
                          
My face resembled someone who was freezing cold, the paleness likely laminating my blue eyes. 
                          
But inside.. I was on fire. 
                          
I wanted him, his touch, his warmth. His every touch sent sparks of heat,  until it consumed me completely.
                          
Then it was gone.
                          
I was left with the view of his tiger tattoo. 
                          
I thought of his laugh. His smile. They were deep and beautiful. I never imagined how something so lovable could come from someone who was almost the complete opposite.
                          
Aside from his good looks, Dante was dangerous, dark. I saw first hand what Dante could do. He could make you feel special, loved if he wanted to or if you betrayed him, he could make you feel what it's like to go through an office door head first.
                          
I took my time getting out, my body shaking from the wind prickling my skin.
                          
I took quick and steady strides towards the wooden steps to the balcony.
                          
Just when my feet connected with the first step I heard a yell from behind me.
                          
"Ariella!" I turned to see Rachel running towards me in a purple one piece. "Oh my God, hi!"
                          
She ran towards me and enveloped me in a hug. My eyes went wide.
                          
I never thought someone would be so happy to see me.
                          
"Hi, Rachel, " I smiled at her with a giggle. "Nice to see you, too!"
                          
"I just saw you and Dante in the water," she told me placing her hand over her heart. 
                          
I responded with a wide eyed, "oh," and she continued.
                          
"Y'all are the cutest, " she squeaked. "I wish I could find someone to be like that with."
                          
I smiled down, wondering if she had seen the kiss.
                          
"Here, come walk with me." Her arms intwined with mine and I hesitated.
                          
We begin to walk as she continued to speak. "Tell me, Ariella. How is it that you and Dante keep things so fresh? Being married and all. "
                          
"Fresh?" I questioned, looking up at her.
                          
"Yeah," she smiled at me before looking out in a day dreaming way. "The way he looked at you.."
                          
I tried to think of a visual of what she was talking about. How did Dante look at me? 
                          
Oh!.. That way.
                          
"Ahh, I'm sure you can find someone who looks at you the same way," I assured her. "Patience is key."
                          
"That might be true," she said as we took the path me and Dante had just come from. "But there must be more keys than one.  I could find someone, but getting them to marry me is a lot more difficult."
                          
She laughed in a sad way and I found her comment hard to believe. She was quite pretty. Beautiful even. Her hair may have been short cut, but it looked like it could be on the cover of a magazine, nonetheless.
                          
She was tall also. Model tall and her personality contained a lot of charisma. Something I lacked most of the time.
                          
I was single. I had been for a long time now considering my last..